Jn restoring waste rubber



To all whom it may concern:

NirEn STATES ATENT JQPFFICE' I MPROVEMENT lN REESTQR ENG ASTE R U B E R;

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. diwfighydated November3, 1863; antedateil 1 October 29, 1863, Y

Beit known that I, TrroMAs' J. lVIAfYALL, residing in the city ofRoxbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, and

a citizen of the United States of America,

I do hereby declare that said process has not i been known or used byothers before said discovery or invention, and that the following is afull, clear, and accurate description" of the principle, nature,andcharacter of said invention or discovery.

The nature or character of said invention consists infirstreducingby'any proper means -waste vulcanized rubber, or rubber not vul-.

canized, with which sulphur fibrous .materials, orv either have'beeiicoinbined, to a fine. I condition, and then subjecting it-in anysuit able vessel to the direct action of the flames of gas, or ofinflammable liquids's.uch as camphene, alcohol, spirits of wine, benzi'ne, carbon-oil, &c-the duration of heat thusapplied being regulatedby'any suitable extinguishing apparatus, By'this means I have 'foundthat old waste rubber, whether .vul-- canized or not-such as .scraps ofshoes, car springs, and other articles-becomes reduced to sucha gummy,plastic, and cohesive condition as to be readily reworked and moldedinto any desired shape, possessing properties 'or qualities it hadbefore vbeing subjected to the process of vulcanization. It Wi11 b9'0bserved that the waste" rubberis subjected to the direct action of theflames of inflammable liquids or gases, the efi'ect of whichlis, whenthe process is properly conducted, as hereinafter described, tocompletely consume and'destroy such foreign matters in the waste rubberas are nost desirable to be removed,

the result of which'is the production of a mass of rubber that is asnearly as possible suitable for being used in the manufaetureoivulcanized rubber goods. f

The process by which the results hereinbefore described are produced. isas follows I la y hind waste rubber or guttepercln vulcanized or not,and reduce it by chop-ping, or otherwise witnesses.

to a fine condition.- A portion of this I place in anysuitable vessel,andisprinkle or saturate itwith alcohol, camphene, carbon or coal oil,or other inflammable liquids. Over this I place another layer of thereduced rubber, which is also sprinkled or saturated with theinflammable liquid; When .the vessel is full, the liquid'isignited; andthe flame is allowed to act upon the rubberas long as may be deemednecessary to produce the result as: herein above-described.

It will'be evident that in lieu of applying the flames' of spirits tothe waste rubber, (though I consider this the simplest and best methodjets of lighted gas may be brought to bear upon. it in any propermanner, it ing desirable, however, that the flames should be in contactwith every portion or layer of the waste rubber, and'not simply upon onelarge massjof the same. The product thus obtaiuedmay be rolled intosheets or molded into various. forms, or worked in any of the variousmodes practiced by india-rubber man ufacturels. It may then be subjectedto airtificial heat, or simply to the action of'thc sun and air. Any ofthe various compounds commonly used may be combined with this restoredrubber, and it may be vulcanized, if

desirable, under pressure.-

By my process it will be seen that two of its important' features areits trifling cost and the safety with which it may be worked.

What I claim as my invention or discovery, anddesire to secure by-Lett'ers Patent, 1s-

The process or means, as herein described, by which sulphur or fibrousmaterials, or either,

-which have been combined with india-rubher or gutta-pereha, separatelyor combined, before beingsubjected to the process of vulcanization, andwhether vulcanized rubber articles-or not, by subjecting-the same to theflame of" inflammable liquids or gases-such as" spirits ofturpentine,camphene, petroleum or carbon oil, alcohol, benzine, benzole,,naphtha,or any other iniiamm'able liquids or gases producing the same result-substantially as. set forth.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationbefore two subscribing THQS. J. MAYALL."

Witnesses:

Losnrn Gunter,

A. W! Snows.

